Al-Yurae- Armed clashes have intensified in Sudan’s Blue Nile region and South Kordofan state, where the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continue to battle both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N) faction led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. The fighting has spread to several areas, including the besieged towns of Dilling and Kadugli, which have been largely encircled for nearly two years.
Local sources reported fresh confrontations in the strategic areas of Malkan and al-Silk in the Blue Nile over the past hours, as both sides deployed additional troops near border regions with South Sudan and Ethiopia amid fears of a wider escalation.
The region hosts a complex military presence: units of the Sudanese army and the SPLM-N faction led by Malik Agar who currently serves as Deputy Head of the Sovereign Council are aligned against the RSF. Agar’s former ally, Abdulaziz al-Hilu, now backs the RSF, deepening divisions within the insurgency.
The RSF claimed control over Bau locality, including the al-Silk military base, while military sources stated that the Sudanese army launched counteroffensives on Sunday in Malkan and al-Silk, destroying several RSF vehicles and forcing retreat “with heavy losses.”
Cross-Border Accusations
A senior government official accused South Sudan of facilitating the training and transit of armed groups attacking the Blue Nile region from its territory. The official said that the Fourth Infantry Division of the Sudanese army was “repelling foreign aggression” advancing from the south, noting “mass civilian displacement toward safer areas in Bau locality.”
Bordering Damazin to the north and Kurmuk to the south, Bau is a mountainous area rich in vegetation and home to the Ingessana, Berta, and Hamaj ethnic groups. It is one of the most strategic of the seven localities in the Blue Nile region.
Widening Humanitarian Crisis
In April 2025, the army recaptured both Malkan and al-Silk after losing them temporarily to the RSF following the latter’s defeat in neighboring Sennar State. The clashes in western Blue Nile displaced nearly 100,000 people toward Damazin, according to regional authorities.
Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Sunday that 655 civilians fled Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan during the past three days due to intensifying violence and insecurity.
The IOM said 415 people fled Dilling, and 240 fled Kadugli between January 22 and 24, heading toward White Nile State. The organization stated that “the situation remains volatile and unpredictable” and confirmed ongoing monitoring of displacement developments.
Airstrikes and Military Build-up
The army carried out airstrikes near Yabus, close to the Ethiopian border, targeting RSF supply convoys and vehicles carrying foreign mercenaries, according to military sources. Non-official reports also indicated RSF movements from inside Ethiopia toward Blue Nile, prompting additional army deployments and heightened readiness for a possible escalation.
These developments underscore the widening scope of Sudan’s internal war, transforming what began as a power struggle into a multi-front regional conflict with grave humanitarian and security repercussions across the country’s southern and eastern regions.